


Adam Foster

by Mearbear



Category: No Fandom
Genre: Abuse, Adam from dystopia, Attempted Murder, Hurt, Mention of Suicide Attempt, mention of sexual abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-04
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:28:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27376474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mearbear/pseuds/Mearbear
Summary: Hello, I finally typed up an origin story for my character Adam from the story Dystopia.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	Adam Foster

The air was cold, just as it always was however somehow today it seemed colder. Adam stirred slowly before his eyes opened. He let out a quiet groan as his attention set on the dank dusty basement which was his so-called bedroom. He wasn’t good enough to sleep in the house, he wasn’t wanted after all which he figured was fair. Adam’s mother got raped and impregnated, she didn’t have the ability to abort him though he couldn’t help but wonder why she hadn’t just gotten rid of him. Instead, she and her husband subjected him to endless abuse. He heard the door open and his body naturally tensed.

“Ethan, get your ass up.”

“I told you to stop calling me that, it’s Adam.” The teen argued.

“We’ve been calling you Ethan for the last fifteen years. We are not going to bloody stop just because you decided you want a new name. Now get off your ass and come upstairs.”

“Sod off!”

Adam heard the stairs creaking and pulled himself off the ground, grabbing his glasses before moving closer to the wall. Was there even a point to fighting anymore? His father was relentless, brutal. Adam’s ribcage still hurt from the last time and that time he was compliant.

“What the bloody hell did you just say to me?” Edward asked, getting in Adam’s face.

“I told you to bloody sod off, Edward.”

Edward grabbed Adam by his face before slamming the back of his head into the wall behind him repeatedly. Adam saw stars for a moment before the dull pain crept across his skull. It wasn’t unbearable but that probably had to do with his autism. Pain was usually a minor inconvenience to him, but both of his parents knew how to make him feel it. They had to after all, when a simple slap hardly got a reaction it was only feasible for them to go to higher extremes.

“We have an outing, get dressed and keep your fuckin’ mouth shut.”

“Awww what’s wrong? Don’t want your friends knowing how awful mummy and daddy are?” Adam antagonized.

Edward retaliated, kneeing Adam in the stomach before being throwing him to the ground. Adam closed his green eyes and tensed as he felt the onslaught of Edwards kicks, all of which were aimed at his ribcage before the older man crouched down and roughly jerked Adam’s head back by the hair.

“We’re leaving in five minutes.” Edward snapped before throwing Adam’s head down and making his way up the stairs.

Adam remained on the floor for a few minutes, his body throbbing from the dull pain. It was almost soothing feeling his pulse push against his burning bruises or perhaps it was a soft reminder that he survived his father yet again. See, it had been like this for as long as Adam remembered. Even as a toddler he couldn’t escape the abuse, but things were different then. He didn’t start talking until he was six years old and that was because his beloved grandmother took the time to start implementing ABA therapy. She did the best she could in helping raise Adam but between battling cancer and his parents there was only so much she was able to do which was namely behavior management. As a toddler, unable to speak, Adam resorted to extreme measures to communicate, which included biting and throwing objects at the people he was attempting to talk to. This meant he challenged his parents often, showing a great lack of fear in their threats making him just about as rebellious as he was now. But something shifted when he was three, after his uncle had joined in on the abuse but… His abuse was different… Violating.. Demeaning. Adam closed his eyes as his mind flashed back to the touch, soothingly gentle at first before it turned into something morbid. It was so demeaning it had sucked the fight out of Adam for _years_. The psychological torment made Adam more fearful of his parents and less defiant but that didn’t shift the abuse he was given. He found it funny how it didn’t matter what he did, even if he were to turn invisible and hide away his parents would find some way to make it wrong. Which is why Adam got his fight back. It’s only been two years since he’s gotten so.. Out of control so to speak and the abuse has gotten worse since, but Adam stopped caring. If he’s lucky they’ll kill him, he figured. Still, he just wanted to get away, maybe stay with his grandmother, maybe just get a sense of life without pain.

He let out a soft sigh before he finally got dressed and met his parents in the car. He didn’t say anything as he just stared out the window, watching the beautiful scenery pass them by. His eyes fell closed after a moment, until they arrived. Frankly, Adam was surprised that they decided to go to his grandmothers. Sure, she was family, but Edward hated her and his mother, Emma, was never too close to Elaine. All Elaine did for them was watch over Adam when they got “too overwhelmed by him.”. He wasn’t going to complain though, he loved his grandmother.

Everyone stepped out of the car and made their way to the house, warmly being welcomed inside. Adam didn’t waste any time going to the music room where he would sit and play the piano. It was peaceful, tranquil even. It was one of the few moments in his life that he didn’t want to lie down in the road and become roadkill. Music helped him cope with a lot of his trauma, giving him a moment to escape and paint the air with a hauntingly beautiful and cold melody. He’s been playing piano since he could walk though it was more of a struggle back then seeing as no one realized he needed glasses. He used to sit mere inches from the sheet music, squinting and straining to read it. It took a few years of squinting and running into walls before Elaine pushed to get Adam glasses. He smiled at the reflection easing into the moment that, unfortunately, was cut off when his mother came in and closed the piano, nearly shutting it on his fingers.

“The hell, I’ve called your name three times, Ethan-”

“Adam” He corrected only to be ignored.

“We need to talk to mum, go outside and…. I don’t know. Just don’t bother us until the lights come on.”

Adam rolled his eyes though he didn’t bother to argue. Emma and Edward never hurt him in front of other people, however, he learned the hard way that his punishments were intensified when they got behind closed doors. He recalled trying to run away in the grocery store only to be tracked down and dragged to the car. No one questioned his screams, especially when they saw him violently thrashing and biting his captures, in fact it was his parents who were pitied. They always made it a point to bring up his autism, it helped justify the semi-rough handling in public, the many bruises that housed themselves on Adam’s skin. He bit himself when he got overwhelmed, the small town of Bakewell didn’t find it to be a far stretch that he would perform other self-injurious behaviors in the midst of a meltdown. Not to mention, prior to having glasses, Adam was always perceived as clumsy. He wasn’t, he was just blind, but he doubted the town put two and two together. This of course only fueled Adam’s anger, his hatred. He couldn’t trust anyone, and he couldn’t reach out for help.

Adam pulled himself away from the piano and went to the door, putting his shoes on only to be stopped by his mother, who now, spoke in a much softer tone.

“Don’t forget your jacket, it’s cold out there.”

“It doesn’t feel cold.” Adam resisted.

“You never feel cold.” She said, slipping the jacket over Adam’s arms before kissing his forehead.

It made his stomach turn, especially because the night before she greatly expressed her desire for him to die after having pinned him down. He hated it when they would try and be nice because it always meant there was something much worse to come such as the time Emma offered him a freshly made smoothie filled with bleach or the time Edward offered to buy him new clothes so he could get away with driving a nail through Adam’s arm.

Adam walked away from the house and arrived at the park just down the road within a matter of minutes, sitting down on one of the swings and turning his attention to the ground beneath his feet. He didn’t really play, he didn’t know how or see a point in it. However, one boy always tried. Adam felt his swing get pushed from behind before another blonde boy took purchase in the swing beside him.

“I was wondering when I’d see you again.”

“Mm, it's hard to escape my family” Adam responded.

He met Ben almost a year ago. At the time, Adam had contemplated running away but found himself here instead, his face housing a fresh bruise from his father smacking him with a closed fist, which was later blamed on Adam’s ‘self-injurious behaviors’. His focus was on the dirt beneath his feet as he softly rocked himself back and forth on the swing, trying to soothe himself so he wouldn't have a meltdown but the emotions inside of him felt so large it was difficult to keep them in. The determination to hide his vulnerability only grew when the other boy sat in the swing beside him, exactly like this moment. Adam remembered how Ben started the conversation with “your parents hit you too, huh?”. He remembered wondering how many people were like him. He wondered if the town ignored his screams because they too beat their children and his stomach sunk further at the thought. Adam knew it wasn’t normal, at least that’s what he told himself and Ben only reinforced that thought.

See, there was something about Ben. This deep-rooted love for humanity and desire to hold onto the good things, to grow and be better. Adam didn't have the words for it at the time, in that moment, but if he reflected on it, he would find it inspiring. After all, Ben was the reason Adam took to being called ‘Adam’ instead of ‘Ethan’. He had asked Adam for his name only to receive it with great hesitation. He remembered how Ben said, “Well that won’t do, don’t think I’ve eva’ heard someone sound like they hate their name so much.” Adam had to explain why, how every time he heard it, he felt sick, he had been surprised Ben heard him because he was on the verge of losing his voice. Not in a sick way, but in the way of motivation.  
“Do you have another name?” the blonde boy had asked, only to receive a look of confusion before following up, “As in a middle name, silly.”  
“Adam.” Ben seemed satisfied and reintroduced himself “bloody nice to meet you, Adam, I’m Ben”. Adam found it to be strange, but it got him to smile for the first time in a long while. He felt reborn, free even. But that was the thing about Ben. He suffered like Adam had, but he saw something bigger than the pain. He saw a light shining at the end of the darkened tunnel and Adam wanted to find that light with him. He was blind after all; he knew without Ben he'd get swallowed up by the darkness. He had before after all, the time two years prior when he attempted suicide via train which to Adam's dismay stopped before it could hit him. The year had been filled with the after-rush of pained emotions from the year prior given the increase of Elliot’s visits and the birth of his younger sister. Most would consider the latter to be a positive event however, Adam’s father had been out of town and the child was the result of an affair. Emma insisted Adam be responsible for the child which he gladly was until his father found her, murdered her and left her body in the basement for Adam to dispose of her. He didn’t get to eat until… This happened the year prior to his attempt at suicide and since then he had wanted little more than to die, even with his uncle having been arrested. But then he met Ben.  
Ben was Adam’s first and only friend and his parents had no idea he even existed, which was what made their secret so much better. They were extremely close, almost like lovers but if one asked Adam he would swear they weren’t dating, that there weren't feelings. Ben on the other hand would say something much different. That was the problem with Adam’s thinking however, he didn’t connect how the kisses and cuddles meant something more than friendship and without there having been a conversation, he would always refer to the other as his friend. His close friend.

“I can relate to that.” Ben answered honestly, pushing himself on the swing.

Adam’s gaze followed him before he breathed out heavily, “I’m sorry… I know it’s hard for you.” Ma, that’s what he called his grandmother, taught him the importance of showing empathy. It wasn’t easy and Adam often missed the cues but…. He was trying. Not because he had to or because he had to mask his autism but because he wanted Ben to know he wasn't alone.

“Hey… If you can’t get away, you can’t get away… I think sometimes you forget who my dad is.”

Ben, unlike Adam, was abused only abused by his father, his mother having died years ago. His father never stopped grieving and somehow made it Ben’s fault.

“I have to leave after dark… I don’t know what they want to talk to Ma about, but they kicked me out of the house.”

“Your parents?”

“Yeah…”

“Here… Come with me.”

Ben hopped off the swing and made his way to the slides, climbing to the top before disappearing into a tunnel that connected the small and large slide. Adam hesitantly followed, climbing up the small set of stairs before stopping outside the tunnel. Ben was laying on his side and he pat the space beside him. Adam felt distress fill him, memories flashing through his mind of a time his parents shackled him up in the closet for three days, during which he had been starved. When his family finally released him, they beat him for defecating in the space and forced him to clean it, he had been no more than six years old at the time.

The memory pushed Adam to curl up at the foot of the steps, his hand in his mouth as he bit down and clenched his eyes closed. Ben moved to his side in a matter of seconds only to be pushed away, which was the closest to ‘aggressive’ Adam got these days.

“Adam… It’s just me… I… I’m sorry.” Ben tried to soothe, moving behind Adam and squeezing him tightly.

He seemed to tense at first before relaxing into the pressure, his grip on his hand easing though it wasn’t before Adam had drawn blood. It took hours for Adam to calm down fully, his head resting against Ben’s shoulder before he finally pulled away and signed ‘Thank you’. Ben didn’t know much sign language, but he did know that one. It did make it challenging to talk to Adam when he went non-vocal.

“Hey, it’s not a problem… It’s the least I could do.” Ben reassured, pushing some of Adam’s hair from his face, his gaze turning to Adam’s hand. “Love..” He nearly winced.

‘I’m fine.’ Adam signed, Ben only arching a brow.

“One of these days, I will learn sign language for you.” Ben leaned in before gently kissing Adam. 

“Hey!” They heard Edward’s booming voice shout from across the way, that’s when it dawned on Adam that the streets lights were on. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?!”

Adam nearly jumped, Ben did. “Do you want me to stay?”

Adam shook his head no and got up as his father approached, grabbing him by the arm roughly.

“Keep your filthy hands off my son, prat” Edward growled before dragging Adam away and before he knew it he was being tossed in the backseat behind his mother.

“What the bloody hell are you thinking!?”

‘That it’s a shame you’re not dead.’ Adam signed back, but his parents never really learned despite Elaine pushing them to do so.

“Fucking f*g. You’re a failure, a bloody disgrace and now on top of it you’re a damn fairy. Is he why you’re insisting we use your middle name?”

Adam looked towards the ground, his jaw tight. He didn’t want to get Ben into trouble, he knew all it’d take was a phone call to his father. Edward wasn’t reaching for the phone however, he was just focused on driving which brought Adam some sense of relief. Though he knew this wasn’t going to end well which is why the second the car stopped he tried to run. Emma hopped out of the car fast and managed to grab hold of Adam’s arm. He jerked it away with enough force to pull her forward and send her to the ground, however, she managed to slow him enough for Edward to grab him from behind, wrapping his arms around Adam’s shoulders and lifting him off the ground. Adam screamed out, kicking and thrashing, his head meeting Edwards nose. Emma got up and grabbed the shovel from the yard, swinging hard and hitting Adam in the head. The first blow caused him to grow disoriented, the second blow caused him to lose consciousness. Lucky for Edward and Emma, they lived in a rural part of town, not many people around to see them as they tossed Adam into the boot of the car.

“We’re not bloody keeping the kid.” Edward growled out, “I didn’t want him, he’s a bloody queer and a headache.”

“What do you want me to do, Edward?! It’s not like anyone else wants him! He has Autism, he’s broken.”

“Then maybe it’s time to throw him away.” Edward said, getting into the car.

“What the bloody hell are you talking about!?”

“I’ll be back, wait inside.” Edward said before speeding off.

When Adam woke up he instantly came to notice the tight space he was trapped in, panic filled him as he let out a yell and started pounding against the door. He let out a soft gasp as the sensation of falling washed over his body before he could feel the vehicle abruptly make contact, hearing a loud splash. Fear was already setting in, his mind scrambled and raced. He loosened his jaw so his teeth were no longer baring into his hand as he focused on feeling around the trunk. There had to be a way to either open it or push the seats back from the inside, right? Water was rising and Adam felt himself wanting to collapse in on himself, he was never good at handling these powerful emotions. He sobbed out as he felt his fingers brush against metal, pulling and pushing hard. Nothing happened. The water rose higher and Adam breathed some of it in before coughing and shifting his face to the top of the trunk, trying to breathe in the remaining air before he was completely submerged. His stomach twisted and he had to fight his automatic urges, fight the dread enough to find the latch. His hands returned to the metal and he pushed and pulled more desperately. If it hadn’t been for the very faint amount of light he wouldn’t have known the trunk opened.  
  


Quickly, Adam pushed against the top of the trunk opening it before he launched his body into the water. He didn’t know how to swim, no one had bothered teaching him, but he was determined to get to the surface. Adam closed his eyes and thrashed his arms, fighting against the weight of the water until he felt cold air hit his fingers. His face surfaced next and he swallowed some air before resubmerging. His arms began to ache and burn as he fought his way to land, finally collapsing on the shore and coughing violently. His arms were shaking, his vision blurry. He couldn’t see anything but faint shapes. Adam took several minutes before he was able to pull himself off the ground and shuffling towards the street. He knew where they were, he recognized the general area even if it was a series of blurs, Bakewell didn’t have too many distinguished bridges such as this one. He knew how to get home from here…. God, how could he still call it that? Adam couldn’t stop himself from vomiting, though it wasn’t much more than stomach acid. He coughed and shuttered before he turned and began making his way down the street, moving almost aimlessly. It was probably a twenty-minute walk but Adam took it especially slow, tripping and stumbling over the ground beneath his feet. He kept his gaze downwards trying to make sense of the blurs until he finally looked up and saw the silhouette of his house. His fists clenched as pure rage and hatred filled him and he began moving on impulse. First, he went to the shed where Edward kept a canister of gasoline, looking for the pop of color in the darkness. He didn’t need to be able to see clearly to get around because he knew these grounds, this house well enough to move blind. The shed was a straight shot to the porch which consisted of three wood stairs, worn and rotting. It was easy slipping into the quiet house. From there, he headed for the kitchen which was directly across from the front door, the only thing he needed to be cautious of was the beat down dining table. He felt around, his hand coming into contact with the object helping him maneuver his way around it and to the stove top. He felt around until he found the knob and turned on the gas. Finally, he moved through the downstairs, shuffling around the stained carpet pouring the gas before making his way to the door, he was proud of himself, only having tripped once without waking his parents. He used his dads lighter that he grabbed from inside, which always sat in the same spot beside his recliner, to light the fire before moving off the porch and closer to the tree line where he stopped to watch his actions unfold. He could see the flames dancing in the bottom floor of the house, his gaze shifting to the upstairs window, his parents’ room as a small smile spread across his lips. They had no idea. It only took a few seconds before the house exploded. Adam breathed out before he disappeared into the darkness ready to start his new life. He would go the only place he knew he’d be safe. Elaine didn’t have to know, no one had to know.


End file.
